


His Protector

by robin_writes



Series: Al Sah-him and Felicity Al Ghul [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Al Sah-Him protecting Felicity, Angst, But also Felicity protecting Al Sah-him, F/M, Fluff, Oliver Queen is Al Sah-Him, felicity is ra's al ghul's other daughter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 10:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17242889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robin_writes/pseuds/robin_writes
Summary: A few months after Al Sah-him kills the Magician, he’s still watching Felicity. But he gets sloppy, forgets his training and is wounded and ends up bleeding out quite heavily. He makes it to Felicity’s door before he passes out. She calls a buddy, Digg, who helps patch him up. But he has to stay on bed rest.





	His Protector

**Author's Note:**

> Again, the Arabic is from Google Translate, sorry if it's wrong. I totally wasn't gonna do another part, but there were a bunch of comments saying I should. I thought about it and got no sleep because all I could do was write this, the inspiration was intense. Hope it's what you guys wanted, I'm gonna take a nap now.

Tonight she was on the sofa watching a sci-fi TV show he had often seen her watch. She had a glass of wine sitting on the coffee table next to her feet and a bowl of ice cream on her lap. It wasn’t uncommon for that to be her Friday night.

Al Sah-him’s eyes trailed up and down the street and around the house and then back to her. Felicity.

It started to hurt almost immediately, always watching, never participating. But he knew he couldn’t, not after what happened when he killed Malcolm Merlyn.

He promised Nyssa he would protect Felicity and he would uphold that promise, even if he was protecting her from himself.

It had been almost three months. And he was still perched on the rooftop across the street from her home. He only ever left for food or to wash and only when she was at work during the day and surrounded by people. He couldn’t make himself budge even if he wanted to.

As if sensing him, Felicity turned her head to look out the window and up to the roof she knew he sat on once. But Al Sah-him ducked down fast enough that she didn’t see him.

His attention diverted, he wasn’t prepared for an attack. Al Sah-him’s attention was solely on Felicity which was what the other assassin was counting on.

He stuck Al Sah-him with his sword, it went straight through him, stabbing into the floor of the roof. Al Sah-him reached back and pulled the sword from his body, not even wincing. He was in pain but he was trained not to show it, not to display any kind of weakness at all. His blood dripped from the metal as he took in the appearance of the other assassin; the boy was just that. Seventeen at most. “اذهب للمنزل” (Go home) Al Sah-him said.  
“انا لااستطيع” (I can’t) The boy replied.

Over the months, there had been two other assassins that had sought him out, wanting him dead. Al Sah-him understood. Ra’s Al Ghul and Nyssa couldn’t tell the League he was protecting Felicity because that would mean acknowledging her existence to the League which they couldn’t do. Without their support, he was seen as a deserter, punishable by death.

The other two tried and failed, not hitting him at all, but he was spending so much time just watching that he forewent his training. He was getting sloppy which explained the huge tear in his abdomen and the bloody sword he pulled from himself.

Al Sah-him dropped the sword and took out a smaller blade, he always preferred knives, they were easier to throw. “أنا آسف” (I’m sorry) He said, he didn’t want to kill the boy but if he didn’t there would be consequences far worse. Al Sah-him hurled the knife towards the boy’s neck. It sliced the carotid artery and the boy dropped like a sack of potatoes. He bled out in seconds.

Al Sah-him stumbled. The hand that had moved to his injury was soaked with blood. He needed help fast. He climbed down carefully from the roof and staggered towards Felicity’s front door.

With a thud, he fell on her doorstep. Al Sah-him looked at how his blood flowed out of his body and stained the concrete step. He would’ve laughed if it hadn’t been so tragic; he was literally darkening her doorstep. 

He hoped she would find him quickly, he wasn’t sure exactly how much blood he had lost but it was a lot and he was becoming dizzy. It wasn’t long until he passed out.

———

Felicity heard the thud outside. She looked up from the TV on the wall. She almost ignored it, but there was a feeling. Felicity couldn’t describe it, it was just there and it wasn’t going away. Cautiously, she moved her feet from the coffee table, set her bowl down and went to investigate.

If the whole incident with Al Sah-him a few months ago had taught her anything, it was to always have a weapon. She was getting pretty nifty with a bow but thought it would attract too much attention so she grabbed one of the larger kitchen knives on her way to the front door.

She swung open the door, knife at the ready only to see him lying on her doorstep looking very dead.

The knife slipped from her hand and she crouched in front of Al Sah-him. “What have they done to you?” She told herself to keep it together as she dragged his limp body as best as she could into the house. And then she took the welcome mat on the inside and placed it over the bloodied step, she would forget later.

He wasn’t moving, or groaning or anything. He was completely still, bleeding out onto her hardwood floors. But that was a good thing right? If he was still bleeding his heart was still pumping which meant he was still alive. Maybe.

Her phone was in the living room. She retrieved it and then called the only person she could think would help; John Diggle. It took a while for him to pick up, and all she could do was stare at the body of the man who repeatedly saved her life a few months ago and hope she could return the favour. “It’s late Felicity.” He said, tired.  
“I know, but it’s an emergency. I need your help. Bring medical supplies. And Digg?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Hurry.” She sounded so vulnerable with that last word, he hung up immediately. She knew he would come and then she would have a much better chance of saving Al Sah-him. Without Digg, the assassin would be dead and there would be nothing she could do about it.

Felicity crumbled to the floor, pushing on the laceration. That was what you were meant to do, put pressure on it. She tried to calm her thoughts, but once Diggle burst through her door all she could do was sob onto the assassin’s body. “Felicity, we are going to talk about this later.” Digg said before crouching and starting to work patching the other man up.

Digg ripped open his shirt and started sterilising and then stitching. It didn’t take long, but there wasn’t much else he could do. He covered the area on Al Sah-him’s front and back with gauze and medical tape. The kind that was like masking tape but easier to pull off the skin, only just. “Is there somewhere I can put him?” Digg asked.  
“My room.” Felicity said without thinking. To his credit, Digg only raised an eyebrow, he didn’t comment at all.

The muscular man carried the other up the stairs and into Felicity’s bedroom. He placed the man gently over her covers and then turned to look at Felicity in the doorway. “He needs water and anti-biotics. Do you know what he was stabbed with? He could need a tetanus shot.”  
“No.” Felicity said, the exhaustion weighing on her. 

But there was also some part of her that felt relief. He was still alive. He hadn’t died in the months since she had last seen him and he hadn’t died tonight, yet. And he was close when he got stabbed, that meant her brain wasn’t tricking itself into thinking he was watching over her. He was. 

Felicity stared at his chest for a while, sliding into the armchair in the room, making sure he was still breathing. Digg left once he realised that she wasn’t going to get the water or anti-biotics and went in search of them himself.

She kept staring at them, rubbing her eyes and pinching herself to make sure that she hadn’t imagined the whole thing or was dreaming it from the couch. But no, it was real. 

Digg came back in, placing a glass and the box of wide spectrum anti-biotics next to Al Sah-him on the bedside table. “It’s later. He’s out of the woods. We’re talking.” He said with the no nonsense tone she rarely heard from him anymore. “Who is he?”  
“An old boyfriend.” She said unconvincingly.  
“Felicity.” Of course, he knew all her old boyfriends. All two of them.   
“Fine. I met him on that weekend three months ago.” Diggle knew exactly what weekend she was talking about. She never missed work and she was always reachable until that time when she wasn’t because she was being hunted by half of a League of Assassins who had gone rogue. “He took me to a cabin and we spent the weekend together. I haven’t heard from him since.” Technically Felicity wasn’t lying, but she was implying that she and Al Sah-him had an actual relationship. Which they didn’t. Not that she would say no.  
“Why is he here and why was he half dead when he got here?”  
“I don’t know. He wasn’t conscious when I found him.” She worried her lip between her teeth.  
“He has scars, way more than I do. There’s something bad about this guy.”  
“Okay, he’s a bad boy. You know I like them strong.” She said and suddenly Diggle didn’t want to talk anymore.  
“I’m not leaving you alone with him. I have a bad feeling.”  
“Okay.” She nodded. That was reasonable, ish. “I’ll grab you some blankets, you can sleep on the couch.”  
“And where will you sleep?” He had that disapproving tone that she hated so much.  
“On this chair. I’m small enough to.”  
“Fine.” Diggle moved to leave, taking one last look at Al Sah-him on the bed.

Felicity followed him out, opening a cupboard in the upstairs hallway to grab some blankets. She passed them over and returned to her chair. She needed to feel useful, but right now the only thing she could do is watch as his chest moved up and down as he inhaled and exhaled. It was enough, for now.

She settled into the chair, preparing for a rough night of awkward positions and uneasiness. SHe was keeping guard, taking over the role of the protector. But after maybe an hour, she couldn’t stand it anymore. The chair was okay for a while, but she was a grown woman.

Felicity spread out next to Al Sah-him on the bed. He wouldn’t mind, they had shared a bed before. She didn’t want to close her eyes, didn’t want to fall asleep. If she slept, he might not be there when she woke up. And that would devastate her just as much as him leaving the first time.

She didn’t understand the hold he had over her. There was an unspoken bond, a closeness between them despite her only knowing him for a weekend, and never truly knowing him. She could guess that he had grown up with the League of Assassins because he couldn’t remember his birth name, but there wasn’t a lot else she knew about him.

She took time off work. The only time she did that was when he was there. Felicity couldn’t believe that he was still in her bed after three days. Her eyes opened every morning, seeking out a betrayal that never came. But that was also because he hadn’t woken up yet. It worried her more than she let on to Digg.

Digg, who was perfect, he came round every morning to check on Al Sah-him’s wound and Felicity. He would leave to go to work and then he would be back in the evening to spend a few hours with them.

He was still curious about who Al Sah-him was, but didn’t ask after the first night. Digg always left feeling unsure, but if Felicity trusted Al Sah-him, why shouldn’t he?

Felicity was sleeping on the bed when she felt the mattress move. She woke up slowly, taking in her surroundings. The bed was empty next to her. She almost fell back asleep, but then realised he was awake. And he was gone.

A shooting pain went through her chest as she dragged her sleepy body out into the hall. He was there, making his way down the stairs as quickly and as quietly as he could. “Hey!” She said, not thinking past what she would say to stop him.

Al Sah-him spun around, taking in Felicity’s angry and hurt expressions. “You don’t get to walk away again. Not this time.” She said from the top of the stairs.  
“I have to.” He said, voice croaky and harsh from lack of use.  
“You don’t. What you have to do is stay right here until you’re all healed up.” Felicity sounded like she was lecturing a child.  
“I have responsibilities Felicity.” He said, grinding his teeth together at her stubbornness.  
“What? Like watching out for me? Protecting me?” She said, venom in her tone.  
“Among other things.” He nodded.  
“You can do that better from in here. Stay until you heal.” She pleaded with him.

She could see the battle that waged behind his eyes, even if the stairs were in darkness. “I can’t protect you like this.” He said.  
“What about the person that did this to you?” She already knew the answer, she just knew that he wouldn’t leave a threat to her alive. He’d never done it before.  
“He’s dead.”   
“See, even wounded you can protect me.” Felicity had taken a few steps down the stairs so she was standing right in front of him. She put her hand to his chest. “And when you’re sleeping, I have Diggle to protect me.”  
“Diggle?”  
“My friend. He fixed you up, he had medical training in the army and he would lay down his life to keep me safe.” She said and Al Sah-him nodded like he approved. “Come on, back to bed.” She said, moving her hand from his chest to his hand. 

Felicity walked back up the few steps and Al Sah-him trailed behind her. They climbed back into the bed, Felicity rolling so she was staring into his face. “Why did you leave?” She whispered, sounding much younger than she was.   
“It was to protect you. Everything I do is to protect you.” He said with complete conviction.   
“I was alone in the cabin for a couple of days. I was hoping you would come back.”  
“I wasn’t far.”  
“So that’s what you’ve been doing for months? Staying close enough to see but far enough not to get hurt?”  
“I’m not worried about me getting hurt.”  
“I am!” She yelled. “I was so scared. You looked dead. You’d lost so much blood and I couldn’t do anything to help you.”  
“You called your friend. I’m only alive because you helped me Felicity.”  
“You’ve been asleep for days. I didn’t- I didn’t think you’d wake up.” She said, tears streaming softly down her face. 

Al Sah-him reached out and brushed her tears away. He shuffled closer to her. “I’m not done yelling.” Felicity said as his arms came around her and she buried her face into his chest.  
“I’m sure.”  
“Why did you get hurt?” She asked against his skin.  
“The others think I’m a deserter. To desert the League is death.”  
“But you’re protecting me, didn’t my father or sister explain?”  
“No. No one but the three of us knows who you are Felicity.”  
“So you almost died because of me?” She started breathing heavier, sobbing into him.  
“No. I chose this. I should’ve gone back after I killed the Magician but I didn’t.”  
“Do you regret it?”  
“Not for a second.” He pulled her even closer if that was possible and pressed a kiss to her forehead.  
“What do my father and Nyssa think?” She asked, it was still weird for her to talk about them like people who actually existed.  
“Nyssa approves. I haven’t spoken to your father in months.”  
“Okay.” She snuggled into the covers, yawning.  
“Sleep now.” He said, pulling the sheets to cover her shoulder.

Felicity nodded and was soon out. It didn’t take much longer for Al Sah-him to follow her.

Fingers rubbing a soothing rhythm into her spine woke Felicity. She opened her eyes to see Al Sah-him, she hummed in approval. “Not that I don’t enjoy this, waking up to you and your hands on me, Digg will be here soon. I should take a shower.” She mumbled quietly.  
“Too late.” Digg’s voice came from the doorway. He took in the scene before him, warily. “When you said old boyfriend, I didn’t believe you but it makes sense now. I’ll be downstairs.” He said, turning around to leave.

Felicity climbed out of the bed and headed for the bathroom, she grabbed some clothes and then went inside, closing the door. She tried to be as fast as possible, washing and then drying off, pulling her clothes on and wrapping her hair in a towel.

When she came out, Al Sah-him was missing from her bed. She went downstairs to investigate.

Her two men were standing either side of the kitchen counter staring at each other. Felicity waited in the shadows for something to happen. “Thank you.” Al Sah-him said.  
“You’re welcome, I thought when she’d called me that she’d run over a cat or something.” Digg said.  
“I don’t just mean for stitching me up. I mean for looking out for her, being her friend.” Digg nodded at his words.  
“She cares about you. I remember how hard it was when you left. Don’t do it again.” And that was the end of the conversation. Digg turned around and started pulling ingredients out of the cupboard.

Felicity made sure to make some noise as she came in to cover up her eavesdropping. “So what’s for breakfast?” She asked Digg and then perched on a stool at the breakfast bar. Al Sah-him took her lead and sat next to her.  
“Looks like you have enough for blueberry pancakes.” Digg said, looking for the punnet of blueberries in her fridge.

Diggle started to cook, talking about work. They ate together, Diggle checked Al Sah-him’s wound and then he left.

All Al Sah-him could do is stare at her. He’d gotten it right when he’d called her a Goddess in Arabic the first time they met. “Do you have to leave today?” He asked.  
“No.” She replied. “Come on,” Felicity repeated her words from last night. “I’m sure we can find some junk TV to watch.” She led him up to her room and flicked the TV on. They spent the day in bed channel surfing.

His next escape attempt was that night. Al Sah-him waited until Felicity had gone to the bathroom, not being able to stand another minute risking her purity for a monster like him. He snuck out of the bed and made it to the hallway leading to the front door before he was caught.

Diggle opened the front door, carrying a paper bag of groceries when he saw Felicity’s whoever he was trying to leave. “Nope.” He said, dropping the bag and stepping forward. “I thought we agreed, no more leaving.”  
“She’s better off without me.”  
“Maybe, but that’s not what she wants.”  
“You don’t know what she wants.” Al Sah-him was shocked at his own tone.  
“Maybe I don’t but I was there when you left. You can’t do that to her again. If another person leaves, she’s gonna break and I don’t think I’ll be able to fix it again.” At Diggle’s words, Al Sah-him realised he was right. Felicity couldn’t withstand him leaving. She was strong but from what Diggle said, he wasn’t the only person to leave.   
“I don’t deserve her.”  
“I don’t know what you do or don’t deserve. But I know what she deserves, and she deserves for you to stay.” Diggle said. Al Sah-him nodded.  
“Just… don’t tell her I tried to leave again.” He said.  
“Okay.”

Al Sah-him retreated back into the bedroom. Felicity was staring up at him with tears in her eyes. “I thought you had gone.” She said, letting them fall.  
“I went to get a glass of water.” He said, pulling her into his arms.  
“Where is it?”  
“I drank it.” Al Sah-him said and moved them both back to the bed. He was healing, but it wasn’t a scar yet.

There was a woman at her door. A woman in a similar outfit to what the assassins wore, except it was more feminine and had red sections instead of just black. Felicity could see the swords at her hips. She was beautiful, long dark hair curled and soft features. “Hi.” She said. “I’m Nyssa.” 

And suddenly Felicity couldn’t breathe because the woman in front of her was her sister. The one she never knew she had until Al Sah-him had come into her life. And even then that was because he made a promise to Nyssa, her half-sister, and the Heir to the Demon or something like that.

Al Sah-him appeared behind her, smiling at Nyssa. “Breathe.” He said to Felicity. And she did. She coughed and spluttered, catching her breath. But when she did, she turned to Nyssa.  
“I’m Felicity. Come on in.” Felicity stepped back and walked straight into the kitchen right towards the wine. She grabbed a bottle and sat on the sofa, where Al Sah-him and Nyssa were already sitting.

No one spoke as Felicity opened the wine and started to drink straight from the bottle. Nyssa turned to Al Sah-him. “She drinks wine in abundance when she’s scared.” He explained and Nyssa’s mouth turned upwards.  
“So you’re my sister.” Felicity said.  
“I am.” Nyssa said.  
“Why are you here, why now?” She asked.  
“I heard Al Sah-him was injured. I know I’m late but I thought you might need the extra protection.”  
“I’m fine. I have Al Sah-him and I have Digg.”  
“Digg?”  
“My friend, ex-military.”  
“Oh. I can leave, if that’s what you want.” Nyssa said, frowning.  
“I don’t have a spare bedroom.” Felicity said.  
“Felicity it’s alright if you want me to leave.” Nyssa said.  
“I don’t. I just… you’ll probably end up staying on the roof right?” Felicity asked and Nyssa nodded because of course her assassin sister would sleep on a rooftop where her assassin maybe-boyfriend used to stay before he almost died. “You can take the couch.” She paused. “It’s really nice to meet you. I know I haven’t said that yet but it is. I never thought I could have a sibling. I know we didn’t grow up together but blood is blood. And I still can’t get over how my mum seduced the leader of a league of assassins.” She babbled.  
“The leader of the League of Assassins.” Al Sah-him corrected her, a smile on his face.

Nyssa leaves to collect the duffel bag she had left on the rooftop Al Sah-him used to sleep on. Felicity had gone to her bedroom by the time Nyssa came back.

Al Sah-him was still sitting on the sofa watching her. “I’m glad you’re here.” He said when he heard her come in. “Felicity should know you.”  
“I didn’t come to know her. I came to keep her protected. I wasn’t even planning on coming here.”  
“You were just going to keep guard from the roof.” He got it, he knew. Nyssa wanted to do what he did, protect Felicity from the darkness within them. Maybe she did understand. “So why did you come?”  
“I saw her. She looks happy with you شقيق” (brother)  
“You wanted to know if she would be happy with you too.”  
“I did.”  
“From my experience Felicity is always happy except when she’s sad or angry. And the only way to make her sad or angry is to leave. So don’t. You don’t have to stay forever, just make sure when you do leave she knows that you aren’t abandoning her. That you will stay in contact.”  
“You sound like you have some experience.”  
“I do. I’ve left or tried to leave three times too many.”  
“But you weren’t planning on coming back to Nanda Parbat, so why leave?” Nyssa was confused.  
“For the same reason you were going to stay on the roof.” There was a moment of empathy between the two.  
“But you don’t want to leave again?” She asked after a few minutes in silence, Al Sah-him nodded. “This is the least I can do then. Al Sah-him, in the name of Ra’s Al Ghul, I release you.” 

Al Sah-him stood shocked, he hadn’t expected that. He collapsed to the ground, unsure who he was anymore. He had been a part of the League for as long as he could remember, he had been Al Sah-him. He was happy to be released, no one else would come after him, but who was he if not for the killer.

Without knowing, he spoke those thoughts aloud. Nyssa held him up. “You’re the protector. You haven’t been the killer for months.” Nyssa turned her head to where Felicity was standing in the doorway, she seemed to do that a lot.  
“Does this mean it’s over?” Felicity asked, not moving. If it was over, he would leave, just like the last time.  
“Yes.” Al Sah-him said.  
“And you’re leaving?”  
“No.” He screwed up his face stepping towards Felicity who was trembling. “I’m staying.” He said and she felt a wave of relief rush through her. She thanked Nyssa who nodded.  
“I’ll be outside for a little while.” Nyssa said before exiting.

They sank down to the floor and Al Sah-him pulled Felicity into his arms. “So we’re safe?” She asked.  
“We’re safe.” 

Felicity moved back and took his face into her hands, feeling the sharp stubble under her palms. She pressed her lips against his. He kissed back, moving his tongue into her mouth, groaning under her touch. Al Sah-him ran his hands up and down her body, feeling her shivers at his touch. Felicity moaned into his mouth. “Felicity.” He said, pulling back, eyes bright and for once, full of hope.  
“Al Sah-him.” She smiled, stroking her fingers across his cheek. He leaned into her touch.  
“Maybe you should call me Oliver.” He seemed nervous.  
“Oliver? Is that-?”  
“I remembered. It’s my name. My birth name.”  
“Oliver.” She smiled and then attacked him for another kiss. He laughed, falling backwards so he was lying on the floor and she was lying over him.

Felicity felt his laughs vibrate through his chest and she smiled wider, kissing him. Moaning as he slipped his hand behind her head and brought her closer to him like he so often did. But this time it was better because they were kissing and he was staying. It was so much better.


End file.
